DIY Guide to Fly Fishing North Delaney Lake in Colorado

North Delaney Buttes Lake is located in Jackson County in North Park Colorado. A coldwater impoundment nestled in the Buttes State Wildlife Area, North Delaney Lake presents some fantastic opportunities for landing that trophy trout you’ve been looking for all these years.

Best known for its brown and rainbow trout, North Delaney Lake also features regular stocking of Cutthroat/Rainbow Hybrid Trout for those seeking to add one to their collection.

North Delaney Lake is one of only three Gold Medal Lakes in Colorado (the others are Spinney Mountain Reservoir in South Park and Steamboat Lake). This lake is managed as a wild brown trout egg source for the entire state, providing a million plus eggs each year.

About North Delaney Lake

O’Grady’s Fly Fishing trip to the Delaney Buttes lakes on Memorial weekend 2015

Anglers can easily fish from the shoreline’ where the damselflies, midges, and callibaetis breed and hatch en masse throughout the spring and summer, and no-wake boating is permitted.

The trout in North Delaney Lake grow big and fat off the insect population, and it’s not uncommon to see double-digit weigh-ins at the end of the day in mid-to-late summer.

The lake itself is pristine, surrounded with breathtaking vistas in every direction. If the prevailing wind dies down though, be prepared to deal with the local mosquito population, as they can become quite a nuisance.

North Delaney Lake Map, Fishing Access Sites and Boat Launches

Best Time to Fish North Delaney Lake

The absolute best time to visit North Delaney Lake for trout is during the middle of summer or late summer when the insect population is at its peak and the fish are starting to gorge themselves in preparation for winter.

You want to do your shoreline fishing early in the day or late in the day when the bugs will be thickest over the water and you have the best chance of a trout striking at your lure.

Fall fishing is nearly as good as well, since following egg laying patterns becomes an extremely effective strategy, and many of the brown trout are still cruising the shoreline to pack in as much food as they can before the cold weather sets in.

Best Flies for North Delaney Lake

The most effective flies for North Delaney Butte Lake tends to be blood red, olive, and brown woolly buggers. Olive dragonfly larva also prove highly effective.

Also, due to the carnivorous nature of brown trout, you may want to give baby crayfish a try in the springtime since they are a favorite meal of brown trout early in the season. 

Other recommended flies are mini-leeches (#8, #10) in black, gray, brown, olive, and wine. Callibaetis work well in the late summer, especially #12-16. 

Scuds #12-16 in shades of pink, orange, olive, and tan also yield excellent results.

North Delaney Lake Fishing Tips

Fishing is best on the windward side of the lake, and smart anglers should look for mudlines developing. Casting in and out of this tainted water is the best approach for landing brown trout or cutthroat, as this is where they primarily feed during the warmer days of spring and summer.

Sticking close to shore In the early part of the day is best since that’s when the fish tend to roam the shallows in search of food, moving out to warmer waters later in the day.

If you aren’t having much luck from the shoreline or wading, fishing off the dam at the far south end of the lake by the dam yields good results for some anglers.

Others prefer to stick to the western shore to take full advantage of the morning sun early in the day, and transition to the eastern shore later in the day.

Midday fishing is best from a small boat toward the middle of the lake, but you may find that the fish are less likely to take flies closer to the surface during the warmer times of day.

A 9-foot 5-wt fly rod with floating line is perfect for fishing dry flies and nymphs on the North Delaney Lake. For streamers a 9-foot 6-wt makes life easier. A tapered 9-foot leader, with tippet size 3X to 6X to match the flies you are throwing, is pretty standard.

North Delaney Lake Fishing Reports

There are a number of area fly shops and on-line retailers that publish North Delaney Lake fishing reports. A few to check out are listed below.

• North Park Colorado Fishing Report | North Park Anglers

North Delaney Lake Fishing Regulations

There are a number of regulations the must be followed in order to fish at North Delaney Lake. Here’s a brief summary:

• Bag limit is two trout per fisherman.
• Brown trout measuring 14″-20″ long must be returned to the water immediately.
• Rainbow/cutthroat trout measuring 18″-22″ must be returned to the water immediately.
• Sep. 15 – Nov 15: no fishing is permitted from the dam or within 100 ft. of the dam.
• No fishing is allowed in the inlet upstream of the standing water line.
• Only wakeless boating is permitted.
• Ice fishing is permitted as conditions allow.
• Only artificial flies and lures may be used, and any scented flies or lures must exceed 1.5″ in length.

Planning Your Trip to Fish North Delaney Lake

The closest airport to North Delaney Lake is actually in Laramie, Wyoming, and is roughly 83 miles from the town of Walden, Colorado which is only a few miles from the park.

There are a few low-cost hotels in Walden itself, or you can rough it and camp near the lake itself at one of the designated park campsites. The amenities at the lake campsites are very limited, so you may find it advantageous to stay in Walden at night and drive out to the lake for fishing excursion during the day.

There are also numerous hunting and fishing cabins with all the comforts of home in and around Walden you may want to consider as well depending on the time of year and the length of your stay.

Looking for more places to fish? Visit our DIY Guide to the Best Fly Fishing in Colorado.